First things first: Unlike 24 other states across America that limit “independent” organizational advertising and media spending in support of, or in opposition to political candidates’ and issues advocacy campaigns at the state level - note that Florida has no limits on such spending.

So the Supreme Court ruling handed down in a contentious 5-4 vote (Thank Bush for the conservative majority), an ideologically extremist vote overturning long-standing limits on special interest campaign spending on U.S. congressional and presidential campaigns, will not have any impact on Florida’s 2010 state-level campaigns.

That’s the “good” news.

The bad news is, the bottomless pit of special interest money that has been used so many times in Florida to defeat local candidates and state initiatives that dare tamper with freewheeling corporate profits and business practices at the local and state levels (see Florida’s insurance, real estate development, and financial industries, for starters) has now been unleashed for use on federal campaigns as well.
   Read More »

Our Editorial Cartoon of the Week feature is part of Progress Florida's popular FREE Daily Clips service:

By Andy Marlette, Pensacola News Journal

BONUS CARTOON


By Jeff Parker, Florida Today

We call District Attorneys "State Attorneys" here in Florida. And we have to stop.

There is no southern-steeped tradition that's worth risking that the United States Supreme Court misunderstand the role of key players when the Justices are formally asked to compel the FBI adhere to its mandate to investigate the cover-up of decades-old multiple malicious prosecutions that assured the reelections of miscreant civil servants - election cycle after election cycle - while keeping killers on the streets and innocents behind bars.

State Attorney Norm Wolfinger's behaviors contributed to my having standing to file a Petition for a Writ of Mandamus with the US Supreme Court to request that the Justices author an issuance that directs the FBI to immediately adhere to their mandate to investigate nationwide public corruption surrounding use of DNA disgraced dog handlers that affected the outcome of trials and elections.

Florida Today reported on August 2, 2009, "Wolfinger says he ordered an examination in 2004, when Dedge was exonerated, to identify cases "where limited evidence raised a question of actual guilt," and believes only four men in prison today meet that standard, and that at least three of the convictions are sound." ["Our views: Not good enough - Full investigation of state attorney's office use of fraudulent dog handler still needed"]

It's possible that Wolfinger made his 2004 list of those DNA disgraced dog handler John Preston testified against, checked it twice, and then threw it out, but I double-damn doubt it.

It simply doesn't jibe with what Wolfinger's records custodian Patty Crowell wrote on November 19, 2008 in response to my request for a list of cases Preston had participated in, "What you are actually requesting in your email is that this office conduct a research project."

Bill Dillon lost 27 Christmases with his family, Wilton Dedge lost 22, Juan Ramos lost five. There are many others that the Justices have to decide to compel the FBI to find and secure justice for, turning the tables of the granddaddy of Grinches - Norm Wolfinger - whose heart is more than two sizes too small. Wolfinger knew all about men like Ramos, Dedge and Dillon when he took office in 1985 and defied all that's legal - and all that's holy - to look the other way.

Keeping in mind that Preston is reported to have been involved in @100 Brevard criminal investigations, Ms. Crowell's words were ominous, "There is no list of cases that identifies John Preston as a witness."

Crowell notes that the Innocence Project of Florida and the Brevard/Seminole Public Defenders Office made the same request for a list of Preston's appearances. Period.

Crowell apparently received no requests from Florida's Chief Inspector General, Attorney General, Governor, Legislators, the Florida Bar Association, the American Bar Association or anyone in the media - not even wire services.

Having done no credible research, Florida Today loftily lamented in the final lines of the August 2nd opinion piece, "... the wheels of justice have turned slowly for the known victims of Preston' frauds. It's past time to find out if there are more."

While Florida Today works their Ouija Board, I'll keep writing formal requests for information and working on my Petition for a Writ of Mandamus.



Begin forwarded message:

From: "WEBMASTER"
Date: November 19, 2008 10:29:35 AM EST
To: "Susan Chandler"
Subject: Re: William Dillon 05-1981-CF-001746-AXXX-XX Status Hearing 11/3/08

Dear Ms. Chandler:

The address for Sandra Weeks is listed on a two page discovery document.
There is no list of cases that identifies John Preston as a witness.
There have been public record requests by the Innocence Project of Florida and the Brevard County Public Defender’s Office that sought information about John Preston, but they have also been advised that there is no list of cases. A copy of their public record requests are available and are a page or two in length.

What you are actually requesting in your e-mail is that this office conduct a research project. To create the lists that you request would require a hand-search of numerous case files and hours of review. As mentioned in the prior e-mail, the requester of such a search would be required to pay the hourly rate of the person who did the research.

Should you wish for the discovery document or the public record requests mentioned above to be copied and mailed to your, please contact Cathy Romans at (321) 617-7510 and she will verify with you the number of pages and the cost. Ms. Romans can also coordinate with you should you wish to review other documents that may be available for inspection that you could review for some of the information you are requesting be compiled into lists.

Patty Crowell
State Attorney's Office, 18th Circuit

Progress Florida's Best of the Blogs for week ending 11-20-09
Note: the Best of the Blogs is featured weekly as part of Progress Florida's popular free Daily Clips service.

Kiss of Death? Palin Might Endorse Rubio in Florida Senate Race
By Trish Ponder
Pensito Review
Most people were stunned when, after weeks of auditioning the Republican party’s best and brightest, Sen. John McCain chose the unknown and inexperienced Sarah Palin as his running mate in the 2008 presidential campaign.

On health care reform, letter writing, and form letter responses to constituents…Senator Nelson’s office = fail.
By R. S. Pienta
Florida Progressive Coalition
I have been doing some letter writing to elected officials in the wake of recent Congressional activity.

Hey Rep. Kosmas! Stand Up to Big Banks and Payday Lenders
By Progress Florida
Daily Kos
Activists today delivered a letter signed by more than 200 constituents urging Rep. Suzanne Kosmas to stand up to special interest lobbyists by supporting strong, comprehensive financial reform.

St. Petersburg should move its elections back to the Spring, but when exactly?
By Peter Schorsch
St. Petersblog 2.0
The numbers do not lie: in March of 2001, more than 34% of voters turnout to choose the Mayor of St. Petersburg.

I Inter-tripped over a means to compel the FBI to investigate clouded convictions and the media’s related manipulation of information that affected the outcome of elections, including the number of candidates.

After some research and collaboration to assure airtight arguments and proper format, I’ll file a Petition for a Writ of Mandamus requesting that the U. S. Supreme Court direct the FBI to immediately investigate DNA-discredited scent experts, clouded convictions within the same judicial jurisdictions and the media omissions of fact that recklessly endangered the public, artificially enhancing the reputations of public servants while forestalling their investigation and prosecution.

It’s fitting to go straight to the Supreme Court, even if bogus crime scene dog handlers aside from John Preston are addressed as footnotes; Stephen Epperly is still incarcerated in Virginia from a Preston no-body homicide conviction, making it beside the point whether or not all other remedies in lower courts have been exhausted.

A portrayal of related coached informant testimony will cement the need to address clouded convictions related only by virtue of arrests, prosecutions or trials conducted by the same civil servants, with Jeff Abramowski’s being a case in point. Questionable case transfers, like Gary Bennett’s, will more concretely tie in other jurisdictions that superficially seem benign.

Other Executive Orders portraying suspicious jurisdictional changes resulting in wrist slaps will be supplemented with other cases that are unrelated to incarcerations, opening the door for justice for all, at long last.

That the media made no mention of many dereliction dots, making it impossible to connect them, will be inherently apparent, but explained, none-the-less.

With a little help from political cronies and the media, State Attorney Wolfinger ran unopposed last year, although betraying his constituents since taking office in 1985, and Sen. Haridopolos is in line for Senate President.

Offered with the permission of the author:


Nov. 6, 2009

Dearest Party Leaders,

My name is Chairman Benjamin John “BJ” Chiszar of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party and it is with great sadness that I write to you all to expose what I consider to be the final straw in my dealing with the leadership at FDP headquarters. I have had nothing but problems and frustration in dealing with our “parent” organization and enough is enough is enough. I am not going anywhere and I will continue to lead the Miami-Dade DEC to victory (we have won 23 out 29 local races this year). We are active on the issues that we as Democrats say we believe in (healthcare, equality, assault weapons ban, right to vote, the environment, etc) and we are growing our DEC rapidly (over 150 new applicants- up 62% in my first year). I do not require the FDP for anything! The MD-DEC would be better served if they would simply leave us alone. Let them coddle up to corrupt big donors (like the crook Mr. Rothstein, whom FDP returned $200,000 to) and then continue to waste the money, without supporting DECs, as section 7 and 9 of the FDP Charter demand!

On yesterday, November 5th, I received a rude and threatening phone call from the FDP Director of Party Affairs, Milli Smith who claimed that the DNC had contacted the FDP to complain about me. The way Ms. Smith spoke to me as if she was some supreme authority figure over the MD-DEC was inappropriate and I let her know it. I yelled at her in response to her wording and tone, and told her that she was not to call me and threaten me ever again and if there was a problem with DNC, they should put it in writing for my review and then hung up in her face. Unfortunately for Milli, it turns out that she was lying, got caught and then tried to play the victim as if I was mean to her. The DNC told me that they DID NOT contact FDP to complain about me and Southern US Political Director, my friend Nate Jenkins (from Orlando) even went so far as to say that it was “completely inappropriate for Milli Smith to call me and say there was a complaint”. What had occurred was that I, as the youngest Chair of a large county in the US had placed a call and left a message to speak with our National leader Gov. Tim Kaine on Wednesday. I left my name and number and that was it. I didn’t specify the reason for my call, so Nate Jenkins called FDP to see if my call to DC had something with the Judicial Committee issue from this summer (which I will get late in this letter). My call did not have anything to do with FDP. Ms. Smith also claimed that our DEC Treasurer called to complain about me twice yesterday, which I found out to be a lie as well, according to my Treasurer Paul Barthole. He says called because Milli never sent a certificate for the Haitian-American Democratic Club, which is part of her job. Now where does Ms. Smith get off taking liberty with the facts and saying the DNC and DEC Treasurer “complained” about me? Why doKaren Thurman and Scott Arceneaux, who knew exactly what was going on, because I copied them on ALL the emails, allow this non-sense? Because it deals with BJ in Miami-Dade, that’s why! I highly doubt any of you are subjected to this tyranny!

First of all, allow me to give you some background information that will help you understand my frustration with FDP. The Karen Thurman croniesDID NOT win election at our Organizational Meeting. Knowing that I do not like Karen and her team in Tallahassee (based on 2008 personal experience, when I was an employee of DNC and FDP), my victory was greeted with utter panic and disdain. Karen Thurman, FDP staff and their gadfly do nothing friends in Miami-Dade have tried their darnedest to be divisive and disruptive from day one. I have no doubt that their failures to impact our DEC operation boils their blood. In the spring, the FDP and Karen’s MD-DEC cronies tried to undo my free and fair election of December 3rd, by complaining about past Chair and current State Committeeman Bret Berlin and his conduct before and during the election. After failing to comply with their own bylaws and having to re-schedule the hearing, the FULL Judicial council met and exonerated both Bret Berlin and also Chairman Mitch Caesar (Broward) from any wrongdoing concerning the organizational meetings. They made some recommendations, one of which we had done 2 months before the hearing. Another was to send the ballots from December 3rd which had never been in my possession and the third was to “bring our DEC bylaws into compliance with FDP”. I asked both verbally and in writing at least 10 times for someone to please tell us EXACTLY what is wrong with our bylaws and we will change them. I spoke to Vice Chair Diane Glasser, who told me that was a reasonable request and that FDP should assist. This never happened, yet the FDP wanted to try me later for not following their broad general recommendation. It should be noted that FDP was updating their own bylaws this year and makes zero sense to tell a DEC to fix our bylaws while FDP is fixing their own. These are the folks in charge of this Party!

Another bit of information for background purposes pertain to rude and intimidating calls from FDP staff. The first rude call I received from Milli Smith came on April 1, while I was down at the election department to get confirmation that a candidate was NOT a registered Democrat (Myron Rosner). It just so happens that Ms. Smith was calling about this same candidate. Three of her DEC friends (Thomas Pinder, John Julien, & Carline Paul) had supposedly (according to Milli) called FDP to complain that I was telling them they had support our Democrat, Mayor Ray Marin (who happened to be one of our only Puerto Rican electeds in the entire State) in North Miami Beach. Now I did not invent the loyalty oath or make her friends sign it, they did so on their own, knowing full well what it says and means. Milli Smith ordered me to “let them support whomever they want, because FDP didn’t want them on Haitian-American radio saying bad things about the Party”. So I was told to let them violate the loyalty oath that we all signed by an FDP official. On the same call, Milli claimed that another friend of hers (Elizabeth Judd) had called to say that I was doing “nothing to help DEC member Eddie Lewis in his council bid in Miami Shores”. The only problem is that it is completely false! We (DEC and myself as an individual) had been doing everything you can imagine (door knocking, phone calling, providing walk-lists & call-lists, emails and even did a GOTV mailer) to help him and he is still very appreciative of the DEC’s efforts to this day. So once again, Milli’s friends and Milli Smith take liberty with the facts to suit their own agenda of opposing me. Ms. Judd’s true intentions were later revealed. She wanted the DEC to assist her friend in North Miami in a race featuring 5 Democrats! We offered them all the same assistance as any good DEC would. To add icing on the cake, on the same April 1st call, she claimed that one of the DFA gadflies, Sam Feldman said “BJ won’t give me VAN access”. This is also false; Sam was one of the first DEC members to get VAN access (3/23/09) for his PRECINCT. He demanded the entire city of Miami Beach and of course I said no way! This is a perfect segue to what FDP tried to do to me this summer.

Mr. Feldman and DFA decided to endorse a Republican over the Florida League of Cities President, and Liberal Democrat Michael Blynn in North Miami. They did so knowingly and in fact didn’t even invite the Democrat to their “candidate screening”. Now DFA can do whatever it wants, but Milli’s friend Sam Feldman violated the loyalty oath and took a paid position with the Republican. Hmmm…I would find out later that the Republican’s daughter had been employed by DFA during 2008 and when the Republican made a run-off, Sam had her switch to Democrat to prevent the DEC from assisting the Real Democrat. DCCA Chair Alison Morano was made aware of this, as was Vice Chair Diane Glasser and Milli Smith. This exposure was an embarrassment for DFA and Sam. This incident was the catalyst for these gadflies filing a fraudulent complaint against me with FDP.

The first complaint was about Union bugs and that the DEC used a designer bug, instead of printer bug. The DEC has been using the same guy for 9 years and I never examined with a magnifying glass what the tiny bug said. Not to mention that nowhere in our State or Local bylaws does it say I have to use any Union bug. I will have you all know that the DEC relationship with organized labor has never been stronger as I am known all over South Florida as “Union guy”. The second complaint was from the UM Democrats who were encouraged by Sam (who signed complaint because none of the others were from DEC) saying that I wouldn’t give them VAN access for free. What they forgot to mention is that these rich little snobs refused to assist our Cuban-American Female Democrat, Commissioner Maria Anderson in Coral Gables (she lost the UM precinct) and said they weren’t interested in local politics or joining the DEC. Once again nowhere in our State or Local bylaws does it say that I have to give inactive and unsupportive Non-DEC members from a College Democrats Chapter VAN access. The third complaint was from perennial gadfly and Karen Thurman crony, Barbara Walters claiming a litany of procedural silliness that she couldn’t back up. This was proven at FDP hearing AND DEC hearing which both found no grounds to remove me. I save the best for last, the fourth complaint was from a Club President in Dade who had no idea about the complaint process, made false accusations that he later withdrew and told me “he was put to this by someone from the FDP staff”. Let me say that again, the FDP staff told one of my Club Presidents to make a false complaint against me in the hopes I would resign. If that does not disturb you, then I question your loyalty to truth and justice.

Now let’s review the despicable August 29th Judicial Council hearing in Miami Lakes. This Kangaroo Court set up by Karen Thurman, who appointed a SUBCOMMITTEE with one my enemies Millie Herrera, a gadfly who lost to a complete unknown civil rights activist in the election for State Committeewoman and still cries herself to sleep every night about it. This hearing was in violation of FDP bylaws! First of all, section 5.5.2 says the Judicial Council hears APPEALS, an appeal would indicate that it came before the DEC first. That did not happen and everyone at FDP knew it. Section 5.5.2 also clearly says that the appeals must be a result of a FDP bylaws violation. Not a single one of the four complaints met this criterion, unless you consider Ms. Walters non-sensical complaint bylaw related. You as Party leaders should also be aware that Section 5.5.4 of FDP bylaws says that a complainant has 30 days from date of the incident to file a complaint in writing by certified mail. Not a single one of the complaints was filed within that time frame. This was easily noticed by looking at the date they were filed (all within 3 days of each other and signed by the same people) and the dates of the alleged incidents.FDP knew that they were all filed way after the 30 days time limit passed. This was brought up at the beginning of the hearing and Vice Chair Rhett Bullard, while having the deer in headlights look on his face, let the Kangaroo Court proceed. My attorney also pointed out at the beginning of the hearing that Section 5.5.6 of FDP bylaws clearly states that when a DEC or DEC officer is brought up on charges and Karen Thurman appoints a subcommittee instead of the full Judicial Committee, the Chair (Rhett Bullard) SHALL enlarge the subcommittee to include fellow DEC Chairs from within 100 miles of the county where accused is from. This did not happen and after being informed that the hearing was violating these 3 FDP bylaws pertaining specifically to Judicial Council, Vice Chair Bullard proceeded. After wasting all of our time, there decision was to send it back to DEC officers and let them decide. This was as backwards as you can possibly get. So the FDP appointed my fellow officers to be a grievance committee, which I believe to be inappropriate. It didn’t matter because they found the complaints non-sensical and denied them all!

Again. Let’s return to yesterday, I got a call late in the day from the NEW Executive Director, Scott Arceneaux. This was my first time ever speaking with the gentleman and after simple hello-how are you, I asked him why his staff had lied twice in one day about receiving complaints about me, got caught and he allows such a thing to occur. He then told me not to be mean to his staff, when I reminded him who started this business. Mr. Arceneaux then proceeded to rudely insult me and tell me to shut up. As you can imagine, I let him have it and put him in his place real quick. I will not be spoken to by these scumbags like that! I can only assume that you wouldn’t either!

Today I am calling for resignation and/or removal of Karen Thurman and her senior Staff (especially Scott & Millie). Given that many of you are friends with these people, I expect some blind loyalty to the status quo. This is unacceptable behavior from leaders of the most important State in the Union. I believe there is a direct correlation to this pathetic excuse for leadership and our losing big in 2010! You can prevent that from happening! All you need to do is ask some simple questions. If you do that you will find that everything I have laid out for you is true. I wake up every day with the people of Florida and especially our 4 million+ Democrats on my mind and in my heart. Thank you for your time!

BJ Chiszar (305-491-0713)

The next Big Election Day in Florida, as in most of America, is still a year away.  On November 2nd, 2010, voters will have the opportunity to rid themselves of an awful lot of public office-holding dead weight - as in the kind that drags down a state - starting with but in no way limited to Governor Charlie Crist, his hand-picked lackey of a fill-in U.S. Senator, George Lemieux, and Attorney General Bill McCollum.

On 11/2/10, Floridians will get a chance to elect Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink as our next governor, U.S. Congressman Kendrick Meek as our new United States Senator, and one of two fine State Senators, Dave Aaronberg or Dan Gelber, as our top law enforcement officer.

Take a close look at these talented, true public servants, visit their websites, read their positions on the issues and compare the talk they talk with the walk they walk - as opposed to their Republican counterparts currently holding or seeking to inherit the offices in question.   Read More »

According to both political parties and most media sources, Floridians only have two choices for Governor in 2010, choices that the Orlando Sentinel's Greg Dawson parodied John Kennedy's "Profiles in Courage" to describe as displaying "Profiles in Porridge."

Dawson expressed displeasure that the anything-but-dynamic duo were arguing over who should protect Floridians from unscrupulous debt collectors. Each, of course, claims the responsibility falls to the other.

You know their names: Alex Sink and Bill McCollum.

And you know that they both have a lot of money behind them. Millions and millions and millions.

And you know that they both have unapologetic, unexplained party endorsements that circumvent our primary system.

The media covered each un-American anointment as if there is nothing unusual with both parties telling their registered members that no matter how much time and money they contribute, their preferences for candidates are (select one or all, according to how you believe the puppeteers perceive you) beside-the-point, ill-conceived, ridiculous, inconsequential, naive, plebeian, moronic.

I frankly don't care how the puppeteers perceive me or my fellow Floridians. It's time for them to care if we Floridians perceive them as (select one or all, according to the level you've personally been betrayed) power drunk, putrid, bought-and-paid-for, shallow, callow, delusional, despotic, despicable.

I'm backing Michael Arth for governor. With his powers of persuasion and power tools, he's made a life-sized working model of a revitalized Florida in Deland. No one needs to take my word for it, his website is very informative. [http://www.michaelearth.org/] Arth's not for sale personally, and he won't sell Floridians out. He doesn't claim to have all the answers, but his site proves he's given all the hard questions deep thought. His positions are admittedly open to change if new information warrants a revision.

Arth proved he can turn a hellhole into a haven; when someone displays the abilities to achieve that spectacular success, we ought to give ourselves the chance to benefit by a statewide application of the same principles.

There's evidence that neither Sink nor McCollum even has the capacity to care whether the average Floridian flourishes or perishes - taking Dawson's parody a step further, they're "peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot, nine days old," appetizing to only the most dispirited among us.

Despite the heartbreaking injustices I blog about, I'm anything but dispirited. I'm saying it loud and clear, "Don't tread on me."

As a registered Democrat and a Precinct Captain, I demand that Karen Thurman retract her spurious support of Sink and let the two Democrats debate; the sooner, the better. I hope that registered Republicans will make the same demand of their state party leader, and see if a non-porridge Republican subsequently throws his or her hat into the ring.

When we're ill, most of us have odd comforts we allow ourselves. I've got YouTube playing Kermit the Frog singing "Rainbow Connection" in the background, reminding me of singing it to my daughter when she was little and under the weather. The very best thing that can happen is to have good wishes reach you out of the blue without anyone knowing you're sick.

Thanks to those who requested via email, along with kind words, copies of State Attorney Norm Wolfinger's awful letter to Special Master Kent Wetherell that spuriously attempts to portray Bill Dillon as unworthy of exoneration compensation for the 27 years of his life he lost after being maliciously prosecuted.

Wolfinger couldn't be so boldly blasphemous without enablers in Tallahasee and the media. Someday the dreamers will triumph over the dastardly, making the rainbow connection. Until then, we just have to keep writing letters as if innocent people's lives depend on them. Because they do.

From: Susan Chandler
Date: October 24, 2009 1:13:32 PM EDT
To: Senator Mike Haridopolos
Cc: Debbie Mayfield , cig@eog.myflorida.com, Governor Charlie Crist , letters@floridatoday.com, John Glisch , Norm Wolfinger , jrusso@pd18.net
Subject: "Matt Reed: Haridopolos tackles issues"

Dear Senator Haridopolos:

When a news article is well-written, the online comments section is absent information that the article should have contained.

In the case of the above-captioned Gannett Florida Today article this week, an informed reader commented on the gigantic oil spill off the coast of Australia that indicates that the new, purportedly safer offshore oil rig technology failed. Reporter Reed's failure to ask you about that spill did not take you off the hook for not addressing it; you're to represent your constituents' best interests, not Big Oil's. Out-of-work high-tech Space Coast residents that were paid government funds to make solar technology work in space should logically be paid government funds to perfect the same technology on earth to bring cheap, clean power to our nation. If they can come up with a vehicle that works on Mars, they can come up with an electric car. There likely isn't a single resident in your district that will be employed by endangering our coastline with oil rigs.

I didn't read all the comments; Florida Today's readers' rants, born of being misinformed, quickly become tedious, frightening and/or depressing. Hopefully, another enlightened reader countered your fiscal responsibility claims by commenting on your inability to effectively "tackle" DROP double dipping, which allows the likes of Norm Wolfinger and John Dean Moxley to exercise another form of predation on your constituents, aside from covering up the persecution of innocents for decades. Or perhaps a comment instead countered your fiscal responsibility claims by pointing out that you accepted professorial wages based on credentials you merely aspire to, along with a bogus "book advance," betraying your personal propensity for predation.

I hope that someone commented, "Where's Juan?" to counter your bragging about sponsoring Bill Dillon's exoneration compensation. Juan Ramos deserves his $250,000 to partially right the ruination caused by his five years on death row from John Preston's solicited perjuries. That Ramos' conviction was upset in 1987 is embarrassing for those who are still in the state employ - including Wolfinger and Moxley - that are responsible for the cover-up that kept Wilton Dedge, Dillon and many others behind bars and cost Gerald Stano his life. Through the electronic grapevine, I made Centurion Ministries aware that the 9th Judicial Circuit had used Preston to convict and execute Linroy Bottoson, and that transferring Gary Bennett's Brevard/Preston case there was conflicted. I've since found out that the 9th and 18th trade cases like baseball cards, with Gov. Crist's permission. Crist announced his intention to address South Florida's corruption on October 14th, continuing to deliberately ignore Preston's involvement in a reported 100 Brevard felony investigations.

Gannett pretended that Preston cases had been cleared nationwide 15 years ago. ["Convicted on false evidence; False science often sways juries, judges," authors Laura Frank and John Hanchette, USA Today, July 19, 1994; "The unmasking of Preston's dogs caused an uproar. Cases were overturned in Virginia, Ohio, Florida, Arizona and other states."] Despite Gannett's wiles, I'm even more confident now that there will be a federal investigation of the corruption and cover-up. The White House removed my comment from their facebook wall, "The FBI muddied their own credibility in protecting man's best friend ahead of actual men; after investigating dogfighting rings in several states, they have little choice but to rapidly investigate Florida's framing innocent men." Their censorship means that they read my message loud and clear, and so fast that no one got the chance to comment - this time. As of yesterday, I'm on Twitter and will learn my way around it as haltingly as I did facebook.

Reed claimed you're "one of the most influential Republicans in Florida." If true, what possible reason can there be not to use your influence to make it incumbent upon Florida's Governor to investigate any county wherein two upset convictions indicate use of an identical, untenable trial tactic to stop making taxpayers pay to be kept safe from harmless men like Ramos, Dedge and Dillon, then pay exoneration compensation of top of malicious prosecution costs. Roger Dale Chapman, who bragged to his brother about getting valid rape charges dropped by lying to tighten Dillon's frame-up, was apparently re-released Thursday after a sentence reduction. James E. Gilmore, who lied about Ramos, is a revolving-door offender, apparently released without supervision after the most recent offense. The harm done by coached informants that benefit by continual prosecutorial favors and actual perpetrators that innocents serve time for can only be stopped by an investigation that looks at every single Preston conviction and every subsequent complaint of prosecutorial malice.

So much is made of your ability to amass millions, so little is made of what little those millions actually pay for - pandering, predation, persecution, public endangerment. I have nothing against you personally and no ability to act on it even if I did, but I am forever wondering what it is that you personally have against your constituents and what prompts you to harm them so often.

Regards,

Susan Chandler

Although the writing was originally on two facebook walls, The White House removed it from theirs; it remains in place on mine.

Susan Chandler [to] The White House:
I wrote on my blog, "The FBI muddied their own credibility in protecting man's best friend ahead of actual men; after investigating dogfighting rings in several states, they have little choice but to rapidly investigate Florida's framing ...innocent men." And they really don't. I'm receiving supportive comments from other countries - it's only a matter of time before foreign news services decide to take a look at Juan Ramos', Wilton Dedge's and Bill Dillon's upset convictions and the dark deeds that Governor Crist has tried to help bury.   Read More »

Our Editorial Cartoon of the Week feature is part of Progress Florida's popular FREE Daily Clips service:

By Jim Morin, Miami Herald

RELATED EDITORIAL
Governor's political theater
Miami Herald
In Florida's political theater, leave it to Gov. Charlie Crist to play the ingénue.

Growing up in a community adjacent to Grosse Pointe, Michigan helped me to learn early on there are limits to "it's not what you know, but who you know" nonsense. We're about at the tipping point, and I likely have better instincts about it than those who think all they have to do is show up, look good, talk in circles and have ready access to large amounts of cash.



From: Susan Chandler
Date: October 18, 2009 7:50:13 PM EDT
To: Senator Mike Haridopolos
Cc: Debbie Mayfield , cig@eog.myflorida.com, Governor Charlie Crist , letters@floridatoday.com, John Glisch , Norm Wolfinger , jrusso@pd18.net
Subject: "Lawmakers' political committees draw big donations from special interests"

Dear Senator Haridopolos:

The above-titled article by Steve Bousquet and Shannon Colavecchio that appeared last month in the St. Petersburg Times and Miami Herald held no surprises. Your attention comes at a price that is out of the majority of your constituents' reach. That you named your current blitz - I'm aware there are others - to accumulate a $12M war chest from big business the "Freedom First Committee" is a new height in your hypocrisies, given that your constituents' inherent freedoms are demonstrably the last thing you care about.

To the informed, today's Florida Today editorial, "Our Views: Justice still Denied," gives a clearer picture of your disinterest in justice. In a repeat performance of championing Wilton Dedge's exoneration compensation, you've jumped into unearned limelight to champion William Dillon's compensation, with Florida Today's Editorial Board making it seem like you work hard and care deeply. As a legislator, there was much you were obligated to do to secure Dillon's and others' freedom when Dedge was exonerated in 2004 and Jeb Bush denied Floridians the oversight that would have ensured their safety.

Because Gov. Crist is also denying oversight and the Judiciary hasn't done anything to police itself, I often asked you to author legislation that would make it incumbent upon Florida's Governor to investigate any county wherein two convictions were upset for the identical, untenable trial tactic. That simple sentence should have come from you without a constituent having to suggest it; it is the function of the Legislature to check and balance the powers of the Executive and Judicial branches of government. Because you did nothing, John Preston's perjuries and other vile prosecutorial tricks Brevard pulled for "wins" keeps killers and rapists on the streets. In Dillon's case, charges were dropped against rapist/coached snitch Roger Dale Chapman. His DOC records indicate he'll be released from prison - yet again - on the 22nd. I pdf'd his sentence reduction. Crist transferred Gary Bennett's Preston matter to the 9th, where Lawson Lamar's questionable character as a double-dipper and participant in William "Tommy" Zeigler's 33 year persecution comes into play on top of Preston having testified there, resulting in schizophrenic Linroy Bottoson's execution.

My records indicate that I initially copied you on correspondence concerning Brevard's corruption as it regarded my personal affairs on December 17th, 2003, more than two years after I initially experienced the malicious incompetence of a number of Brevard civil servants. I have since written to you repeatedly about Brevard corruption that affected other individuals; the untenable trial tactics deployed against Dillon, Dedge, Juan Ramos and countless others who have waited decades for their first fair day in court are still in use - within your knowledge - the FDLE DNA testimony against Jeff Abramowski was ridiculous; two unsuccessful attempts were made to have jailhouse informants testify against him.

While Wolfinger publicly humiliates Dillon and Crist damns Bennett to unclean hands, you apparently plan to simply wait to see who else gets exonerated despite the denial of oversight and layers of corruption and then jump in once again to grab the spotlight in sponsoring exoneration compensation. It isn't a good plan, sir. There will be an FBI investigation, including an internal investigation that gets to the heart of the Brevard field office's negligence as well as former agents' now residing in Brevard untoward public support of an incumbent Sheriff who did nothing to investigate his agency's participation in multiple frame-ups. The FBI muddied their own credibility in protecting man's best friend ahead of actual men; after investigating dogfighting rings in several states, they have little choice but to rapidly investigate Florida's framing innocent men.

Sincerely,

Susan Chandler


http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20091018/OPINION/910180309/1006/NEWS01/Our+views++Justice+still+denied
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/stateroundup/lawmakers-political-committees-draw-big-donations-from-special-interests/1038466?comments=legacy
http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/pubcorrupt/pubcorrupt.htm

Geez. Will I hear from Jeb Bush next?




From: Susan Chandler
Date: September 27, 2009 8:47:11 PM EDT
To: "Senator Connie Mack"
Cc: Governor Charlie Crist , cig@eog.myflorida.com
Subject: Responding to A Message from former Senator Connie Mack

Dear Sen. Mack:

I am an active, registered Democrat.

Earlier today, in responding to Gov. Crist emailed solicitation of campaign funds, I reminded him not only of his foreknowledge of my political affiliation, but of the lack of wisdom in playing foolish electronic correspondence games with a constituent who has epilepsy and a heart condition - both of which can be affected by stress - who has been pleading for years for him to fulfill his sworn obligations to address public corruption.

I posted that response on my blog; this response will go there, too, along with many well-documented posts that indicate Gov. Crist is not as you've portrayed him; likely what you truly "know from first-hand experience" about Crist corresponds more with my blogs than it does your saccharine endorsement.

There's no such thing as "Harass a Disabled Democrat Without Consequence Day;" I suggest y'all act accordingly.

Regards,

Susan Chandler





Begin forwarded message:

From: "Senator Connie Mack"
Date: September 27, 2009 2:38:35 PM EDT
To: ""
Subject: A Message from former Senator Connie Mack

Dear Friends,

There are many trials currently facing our nation and our world, and Republicans need strong leaders in Washington who will fight to secure America’s borders and safeguard Americans at home and abroad. I know from firsthand experience that Charlie Crist has made protecting Floridians a top priority. I am confident that Charlie will continue that legacy of leadership in our nation’s capital, and ask you to join me in supporting the Crist for Senate campaign by visiting www.CharlieCrist.com and making a contribution of $10, $25, $50 or even $100.

In Florida, Charlie has worked to lower taxes and restrain the growth of government. As Governor, he has consistently opposed tax increases, secured historic property tax reform, and safeguarded Florida’s business climate. Charlie was ranked the most fiscally conservative Governor by the CATO Institute and signed the Americans for Tax Reform Taxpayer Protection Pledge.

Charlie is a pro-life conservative who will defend Florida’s families. In Florida, he has worked to maintain a culture of life and implemented policies that led to historic adoption levels. He has fought to keep violent predators in jail and consistently defended the rights of gun owners and was recently awarded the Gun Rights Defender of the Month.

I know Charlie as a public servant and as a friend. He doesn’t just talk the talk, he is a true leader. He’s as conservative with taxpayer money as he is with his own. I know that he’ll appreciate anything you’re able to contribute to this cause. Charlie Crist is the right person to uphold our conservative values and protect our personal freedoms in Washington. There are only three days left before the end of the fundraising quarter so please join us in supporting the Charlie Crist for U.S.Senate Campaign by visiting www.CharlieCrist.com today.

Your friend,

Connie Mack

Contributions to Charlie Crist for U.S. Senate are not tax deductible for federal income tax purposes. Contributions by corporations, labor unions and foreign nationals are prohibited. Federal law requires us to use our best efforts to collect and report the name, mailing address, occupation, and name of employer of each individual whose contributions exceed $200 in an election cycle.

Phone: 850-907-1218 | Fax: 850-907-1219 | PO Box 1694 Tallahassee, FL 32302

This message was sent from Charlie Crist for U. S. Seante.
Click on the following link to Unsubscribe.

Paid for by Charlie Crist for U.S. Senate


P.S. Anyone desiring a copy of Connie Mack's email can request it by emailing studio8@infionline.net and putting "Mack attack" on the subject line. Are you wondering when it'll dawn on them that they misspelled Senate?

If you filled in the blank with "cry," it would mean we haven't met yet; "continually call out undemocratic behaviors" is a better fit.



From: Susan Chandler
Date: September 2, 2009 6:40:36 PM EDT
To: email@fladems.com
Cc: "Karen L. Thurman"
Subject: Politicos are hacking away at our choices -- OrlandoSentinel.com

Dear Florida Democrats:

Per my email yesterday, I respectfully waited until 5:00 p.m. to take to my keyboard. You ignored me yet again, extending the years-long paper trail confirming the deliberate top-down disconnect with loyal, active party members.

The words "I told you so" are appropriate in noting that the Orlando Sentinel joined the Miami Herald today in recognizing that our party has a divisive ethics problem. Reporter Scott Maxwell called y'all hacks; that will seem like praise once Fox News gets their steamrollers fired up.

You don't have a mandate to turn the Democratic Party into an insolent, isolated and ineffectual machine. You don't know the issues, you aren't smarter than the sum total of Florida's Democrats and if you knew what you were doing, our Governor's last name would be Davis.

Ours is the party of FDR, not Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dumber; withdraw the premature endorsement and win the Governor's mansion democratically.

Sincerely,
Susan Chandler


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orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orl-scott-maxwell-political-hacks-090209,0,151998.column

OrlandoSentinel.com

Politicos are hacking away at our choices

Scott Maxwell

TAKING NAMESSeptember 2, 2009

Today we're talking about hacks.

There used to be a time in politics when hacks knew their places — behind the scenes and spouting talking points on Sunday-morning talk shows.

But somewhere along the way, the hacks — those who put personal and party agendas ahead of the public — forgot their place.

They came out of the closet and into our mainstream life ... not to mention the governor's office.

All of the sudden, naked political ambition is the norm. (And naked is never a good thing when we're talking about politicians.)

It's happening on both sides of the aisle.

But before we get to the Democrats, let's start with Gov. Charlie Crist.

Charlie set a new bar for self-promotion last week when he sent his former campaign manager to the U.S. Senate.

In selecting George LeMieux to pick out carpet samples for the office Charlie wants in 2010, Crist bypassed many respected and experienced conservatives.

And while you may know that LeMieux has never before held a publicly elected office, did you know that he tried?

Yep. Back in 1998 LeMieux ran for the state House — and got beaten by 13 points. In his hometown.

So we'll now have someone representing us in Washington who couldn't even persuade his neighbors to send him to Tallahassee.

Reaction to Crist's selection of his so-called campaign "maestro" has been so across-the-board bad that it's been painful to watch.

Newspaper editorial boards, including the conservative ones, have roundly panned the pick. Jacksonville's Times-Union said the selection reeked of "patronage and cronyism." And The Wall Street Journal called LeMieux "a mini-me appointment" and "Charlie Crist Lite." (Lighter than Crist? We must be talking helium.)

In fact, Crist was so hard-pressed to find anyone to praise LeMieux that state Republicans had to turn to the special interests in Tallahassee to headline their news release on the subject. "George is the right man for the job," said the president of and top lobbyist for Associated Industries of Florida.

Yippee. The lobbyists are happy.

I guess the question now is which lobbyist will LeMieux please most in Washington?

Plus, acting like a surrogate for Charlie isn't always easy. Charlie, after all, is for health care ... but maybe not this health care ... unless the latest polls says this health care is the one people want.

Poor George. His head is going to be spinning faster than Linda Blair's.

Fortunately for Charlie and his maestro, LeMieux can probably take decisive actions when it comes to decorating the office and keeping the Senate seat warm — which is all Crist really wanted.


Democrats — sans democracy

Next up, we have the Democrats, who have crowned their chosen candidate for governor — and don't want other Democrats getting in the way.

Highlighting the party elitism is Volusia Democrat Michael Arth, an urban designer who made headlines about seven years ago for helping transform a crime-ridden area in downtown DeLand into a trendy neighborhood known as the DeLand Garden District.

Arth decided to run for governor — and had this silly idea that the Democratic Party would welcome another Democrat to the race.

Boy, was he wrong. In a lengthy grievance he filed this week, Arth said Democratic Party officials have essentially shut him out — denying him access to party records and mailing lists and even refusing to return his calls — all because they've already anointed CFO Alex Sink as their chosen run.

"This attempt to freeze out a legitimate candidate and endorse a person chosen by a few party leaders is undemocratic and makes an oxymoron out of the term 'Democratic Party,'" Arth wrote.

Party spokesman Eric Jotkoff said party leaders are simply following the lead of Democrats statewide who have rallied behind Sink's campaign.

But it's not as if they took much time to see who else wanted to run. Democratic chairman Karen Thurman endorsed Sink less than an hour after the CFO announced her campaign in May. Not only was the election more than a year away, but the deadline to even qualify for the election was more than a year away.

The whole thing is reminiscent of the GOP's deck-clearing plan for Sink's potential opponent, Bill McCollum, which generated plenty of protests from rank-and-file Republicans as well. Hackery stinks, regardless of party affiliation.

No one's arguing that Arth — or any of the lesser-known Democratic candidates for governor — would beat Sink if they had help from the party. And it's true that most Democrats are pretty excited about Sink's chances.

But if Democrats want people to believe they're the party that stands up for the little guy, they shouldn't slam the door in the little guy's face when he tries to stand up for himself.

Scott Maxwell, who's sure glad no one has ever accused anyone in the newspaper business of hackery, can be reached at 407-420-6141 or smaxwell@orlandosentinel.com.

Copyright © 2009, Orlando Sentinel

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From: Susan Chandler
Date: September 2, 2009 3:09:15 AM EDT
To: email@fladems.com
Cc: "Karen L. Thurman"
Subject: undemocratic Democrats

Dear Florida Democrats:

Again I ask that the premature endorsement of Alex Sink be withdrawn.

The inexplicably inequitable distribution of funding during the 2008 election cycle already warned off future high-caliber candidates; this makes the message still clearer: Don't bother stepping up - Democratic candidates will be picked according to secret criteria behind closed doors and funded according to that secret criteria; you don't stand a chance no matter what you legitimately have to offer our state or our nation - you will waste your time and that of your supporters and will suffer humiliation through our ignoring your ideas, eagerness to serve and very existence.

The Florida Democrats website should either show all gubernatorial candidates banners or none.

Because you can't ask for donations to fight Republican cronyism when that's all you're offering is your own version of cronyism.

And you can't ask for donations to ensure the democratic process when in fact you eschew the democratic process.

The hypocrisy is too patently obvious. It's time to back all the way down and change the rules so this won't happen again.

Please notify me by close of business today that you will remedy your unfortunate, undemocratic decision before this becomes a very public schism. Thank you for your time. I look forward to your response.

Regards,
Susan Chandler

Scott Maxwell at the Orlando Sentinel wrote a column today titled, "Politicos are hacking away at our choices," with a sub-title on the second page, "Democrats -- sans democracy."

He writes, "Highlighting the party elitism is Volusia Democrat Michael Arth....Arth decided to run for governor--and had this silly idea that the Democratic Party would welcome another Democrat to the race. Boy was he wrong.

Read the column at http://tinyurl.com/nytprz

I'm not exactly a cockeyed optimist, although I'm probably borderline (accounting for the dyslexia).

I actually expected either Florida Democratic Chair Karen Thurman or CFO Alex Sink to respond to my email and quietly return our party to the one that plays by its own rules, sans internal warfare.

Feel free to break into uncontrolled laughter over my naiveté. It's a blog; I can't hear you.

As you read, please remember this was far from the first time these ladies have heard from me in regards to the subject matter, with the exception of Thurman backing Sink out-of-the-gate, not even letting the fat lady get on stage, let alone sing.


From: Susan Chandler
Date: August 26, 2009 6:02:35 PM EDT
To: "Karen L. Thurman"
Cc: Alex.Sink@fldfs.com
Subject: Request retraction of premature party support for Alex Sink

Dear Ms. Thurman:

I strenuously object to your selecting Alex Sink as our party's gubernatorial candidate.

If you had picked either Clinton or Obama prior to Florida's presidential primary, you'd have split our party in two. Still, you erred disastrously in declining funding for Dr. Stephen Blythe, who could have easily defeated Bill Posey with a little well-deserved help. $2,000 the day before the election, if memory serves, was the extent of the party's support - under your direction - for a candidate who would have foreshortened the Congressional healthcare controversy, having worked for the Canadian healthcare system while working as a physician in Maine. Dr. Howard Dean has no similar experience, has taken no pains to educate himself on other nation's healthcare systems and continues to ignore the existence of the 17,000 members of Physicians for a National Health Program, allowing the Senate to follow suit and deny them a seat at the "roundtable," resulting in a circus of arrests and ensuing months of contrived controversies.

Unlike Florida's past two governors and candidates McCollum and Sink, Arth believes in due process, and will not turn a deaf ear - as the other four have - to the pleas of more than 100 Floridians and their families who've waited for 25 years for relief from bogus "scent evidence" expert John Preston's perjuries. When the Innocence Project says they believe a death row inmate is innocent and will fund DNA tests, Arth won't rush to execute, as Crist did Wayne Tompkins. Nor would Arth have executed John Marek last week, being capable of distinguishing the difference between six jailhouse informants in search of prosecutorial favors and three inmates that put themselves in harm's way - with nothing to gain - to try and save an innocent man.

Apparently, Alex Sink will do whatever is best for Alex Sink in every circumstance, evidenced by failing to decline the party endorsement as premature. CFO Sink did not commit to investigating Brevard until Orlando Sentinel reporter Scott Maxwell put her up against a wall; she did not follow up that commitment with a press release indicating that help was on it's way, should she be elected, for those victimized by Brevard law enforcement officers and the likes of John Dean Moxley, Norm Wolfinger, Chris White, Wayne Holmes, etc.

I've struggled with health problems all my life due to birth defects; I've been an environmental and social justice activist since the 70's; I've been battling Brevard's corruption since 2001, having twice battled public corruption before - once with the deft, unsolicited assistance of legendary Michigan Attorney General Frank Kelley. It does not fall to you to preempt or override my decisions on who will best champion my struggles, beliefs and battles by overreaching your authority with endorsements or inequitable distribution of contributions.

Please immediately notify me, and the media, that you have retracted your premature endorsement of CFO Sink, whom I'm copying in hopes she steps up and spares the party embarrassment by stating that your premature endorsement is not in keeping with party principles, preventing another circus.

Thank you for your time and attention. I request a response no later than close of business tomorrow, August 27th. This cannot wait.

Regards,
Susan Chandler

Tallahassee, FL: August 25, 2009: Democrat gubernatorial candidate Michael E. Arth filed a set of grievances and proposals to the Rules Committee and Judicial Council of the Florida Democratic Party (FDP) today. The four page list of grievances, titled “The Democratic Party is Not Being Democratic,” include complaints regarding Arth being frozen out by the party leadership, the party’s breaking of neutrality in violation of democratic principles, and the PDP’s blatant support of another candidate long before the primary election, even while enforcing non-endorsement laws on their Democratic Executive Committees. The grievance also lists various proposed changes that would make the Democratic Party democratic. To go directly to Miami Herald's Blog where the grievance has been posted along with numerous comments go here:
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2009/08/democrat-bashes-undemocratic-democratic-party.html
OR KEEP READING HERE:   Read More »

REPRINTED FROM MY SUGGESTIONS TO OBAMA'S MIDDLE CLASS TASK FORCE:
I think we need to take a page out of Thomas Paine's writings on the threat of a landed gentry (or modern day corporate power) taking away power from the people and concentrating it in the hands of the few. These people will always, and have now become, economic royalists. Two things must happen to stop the march towards a corporatism.

Firstly, I propose that we bring back the taxation rate on the top 1% of the country that we had before Reagan. Trickle down doesn't work, and neither does unregulated libertarian style capitalism. I think that all the tax cuts on the top have caused a huge influx of speculative and destructive financial market manipulation, and if the rich among us had to pay a progressive tax of 70% over 2 million dollars, they might be forced to put that money back into the growth of the company and salary of their employees.

Secondly, and by far most important action we can take for the middle class, is to end corporate person- hood, and we should do that by having the Supreme court look at clarifying natural born citizens in regards to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckley_v._Valeo
In order to receive the right of free speech, a human must be making it. I would support a publicly funded election system with absolutely no money or services donated to any elections, from City water management all the way to the President. In addition to removing corporate donations to campaigns, we must further erode the monolithic voice of corporations by enforcing the Sherman Anti-trust laws. Pulling out of ALL free trade agreements while moving to a focus on fair, regulated trade, with tariffs on imports to protect our manufacturing jobs, and tax incentives for desired high-yield economic activities. Let's make the solar panels, windmills, and eco-gagets here, and let's let people join unions if they want to to demand good wages for the work they do.

It can be done if President Obama will start to listen to his progressive base and go for the jugular on this one. Corporations are fat and happy. They are also abusing and controlling us to get what they want. I see them as the Kings of our times, and they wield the very same kind of power over us as King George did. These two adjustments would fix the deficit, end a lot of political corruption, provide us a base to build a strong middle class on, give us some extra money to help us get Medicare for all citizens, and keep Socialized Security solvent for as long as we can hold on the ideals that founded this country. The first adjustment is to take down the head of the corporate beasts. The second adjustment is to mitigate the power that corporate entities still hold over the economy and the people they employ.

Thank you very much for hearing out my Ideas. I hope that I could be as clear and concise with my suggestions as I could be. I also hope that the President can nominate the next supreme court justice, (in the event another one retires, that is not as friendly as Roberts is to Corporations. ) The large international corporations in this country are as much an enemy within as any terrorist with a box cutter, and if we spent half the money on holding them accountable and prosecuting them as we currently do on War, we would probably have the most wealthy and happiest middle class on the planet.

Sincerely,

Jim
3d artist, Orlando FL   Read More »

Our Editorial Cartoon of the Week feature is part of Progress Florida's popular FREE Daily Clips service:

By Dana Summers, Orlando Sentinel

The long-anticipated email from the FBI hit my inbox on the 15th. My prayer before opening it was wasted; they wrote about themselves, not Juan Ramos, Wilton Dedge, Bill Dillon, Gerald Stano, Jeff Abramowski, Crosley Green, me, or any other “sap” that Brevard County trampled.

What inspired the FBI to break their silence was this: I’d received an email on the 14th and another on the 15th from senders pretending to be the FBI and reported both shams – separately – on the FBI’s “crime tip” website, each time asking for an investigation of Brevard County.

The rather amateurish email of the 14th didn’t ruffle the FBI’s feathers. The email of the 15th, however, complete with stolen FBI logo, riled them. Their response, dated the same day, is below.

After nearly five years, their e-mail acknowledging one part of one request says it all: They know about Brevard’s corruption and are content with scores of citizens unjustly losing their inherent rights or their very lives over malicious prosecutions and other color of law activities. But the FBI’s investigation of a Brevard-related matter will be remiss unless it addresses Florida Today’s disingenuous reporting that affected elections. Jennifer Ellis-Seitz, former Florida Today crime writer, disappeared from the Norwegian Pearl cruise ship on Christmas day. Her scuba and snorkel diving hobbies make it bloody unlikely that she climbed over the high rail to commit suicide. Ellis-Seitz was returning to newspaper work on the heels of Bill Dillon’s exoneration, having left just prior to Wilton Dedge’s exoneration.

When discussing Juan Ramos’ five years on death row with a St. Petersburg Times reporter, Brevard/Seminole State Attorney Wolfinger referred to Ramos as a “sap.” None of us deserves that denigrating designation any more than we deserved a paper tiger press propping up bad actors, election year after election year.

I’m not a journalist; I’m a disabled decorator hoping that a few surgeries and the relief of duress will let me work again. My degree is in design, not forensic reporting. So jump in, Floridians who also aren’t journalists; demand that Chief Inspector General Miguel and the FBI investigates Brevard, as our laws require -- cig@eog.myflorida.com and http://www.fbi.gov.




From: fbitips2@leo.gov
Date: July 15, 2009 7:36:31 PM EDT
To: studio8@infionline.net
Subject: FBI Tips

Thank you for your submission to the FBI Internet Tip Line. A review of the information you provided reveals that you have received an e-mail directing you to provide your personal information via e-mail, address, and/or a Web site that appears to be officially from the FBI. This is a fraudulent claim by someone illegally representing the FBI and we are aggressively investigating this hoax. The FBI takes this matter seriously and encourages you to be very skeptical of any online requests for personal information including credit card and social security numbers.

Should you be directed to any Web site that appears authentic but solicits personal information, we encourage you to contact the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), a joint partnership of the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center. Simply go to http://www.ic3.gov/ on the Internet, and file your complaint. It will be an official record, and you will be emailed a complaint number.

If you have a specific complaint about unsolicited commercial e-mail or spam, use the form found at the US Federal Trade Commission Web site, located at https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/wsolcq$.startup?Z_ORG_CODE=PU01. You can also forward spam directly to the FTC at SPAM@UCE.GOV without using the complaint form.

The FBI website describes many of the known email scams currently used at: http://www.fbi.gov/cyberinvest/escams.htm. If you have been victimized by one of these schemes, please forward appropriate written documentation to the USSS, Financial Crimes Division, 950 H Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20223, or telephone (202) 406-5850. We encourage you to share this Web page with family and friends. Your continued cooperation in this and other matters is greatly appreciated.

For your information, the Internet Tip Line (ITL) was created on 9/11/01, in response to the terrorist attacks upon America. We quickly established a mechanism for the public to submit information to the FBI via the Internet, and we have thus far received over 2,000,000 tips from around the globe. Our operation is completely automated and paperless. Professional Support personnel and Special Agents review tips within minutes after they are received and set leads to FBI Field Offices or Legal Attaché offices, as appropriate.

We encourage you tell your family, friends, and co-workers about this service, and we hope that you will continue to utilize it to submit information that may be of interest to the FBI. Again, thank you for taking the time to forward this report to us.

IMPORTANT - NOTE THE FOLLOWING:

The FBI does not maintain an email address to submit information or attachments to directly; therefore, please do not reply directly to this message via your email client. The FBI maintains an automated system that is designed to track all information received, to ensure that all tips are addressed in a timely and efficient manner. Therefore, please visit the FBI.GOV Web site again should you have occasion to submit additional information. We WILL NOT open or respond to “reply” email.